A Detroit music festival called AfroFuture is currently facing scrutiny for having its ticket prices reflect differences based on perceived race. While differing ticket prices for men versus women are certainly no stranger to anyone looking to hit up a Miami or Vegas nightclub, prices based on race carry are far less common — but no less troublesome.
The pricing fers lower rates for tickets purchased by “people color” than it does for “non-people color.” Early bird tickets for “POC” are $10 and $20 for “Non POC.” Later date pricing tiers fers “POC” tickets for $20 and “Non POC” tickets for $40.
The organizers the event declined to comment, but pointed to the FAQ section their event website to explain the difference in pricing. It states, “Why do we have POC (people color) and NONPOC (white people) tickets? I’m glad you asked! Equality means treating everyone the same. Equity is insuring sic] everyone has what they need to be successful. Our ticket structure was built to insure sic] that the most marginalized communities (people color) are provided with an equitable chance at enjoying events in their own community (black Detroit),” the page said.
Upon learning this discriminatory practice, artist Tiny Jag, who was booked to play the festival, withdrew from the event and requested that she be removed from any promotional materials.
“I was immediately enraged just because I am biracial. I have family members that would have, under those circumstances, been subjected to something that I would not ever want them to be in … especially not because anything that I have going on,” she told the Detroit Metro Times.
Tiny Jag further said the ticketing policy, “It’s non-progressive and it’s not solution-focused in my eyes. It seems almost like it has spite, and unfortunately with spite comes hate, and that’s just not obviously going to be a good direction for us to go if we’re looking for positive change.”
As the Washington Examiner notes, “The legality AfroFuture’s ticket policy is questionable. The Civil Rights Act 1964 Title II states, ‘All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment the goods, services, facilities, and privileges, advantages, and accommodations any place public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground race, color, religion, or national origin.'” Going back to earlier differences regarding men versus women, you’ll note that “gender” is absent from Title II.
More information about the festival can be found here.